Hi LI readers. I took a drop year and intensely prepped for clat. Got a decent rank within 180. Alongside for backups I also prepared a decent SOP. Now after the third merit list , I have Nalsar , my primary preference was Nujs anyway. But with the fall deadline approaching fast , majority of UK unis (expect the tier 1s like Oxbridge , LSE and UCL) like Aberdeen , Sussex and Manchester have gave me a green signal. I have received a moderate financial aid. HOWEVER - my ultimate goal is not at all to settle in the UK. My uncle stays in USA and I have some good opportunities as well to go to US for masters and eventually settle there(maybe some other degree like mba to permanently settle there) after Indian work ex ofc.
What do you all think should I do? If it was Tier-1 uk college , I would have not approached y’all. But I really am getting mixed opinions.
FOR INSTANCE - there are people who didn’t crack clat multiple times and ended at these universities (I have proof). I don’t want to end up with them. But at the same time UK as a country will virtually put me closer to Magic Circle Law firms compared to Nujs or nalsar. But their placements are not bad either , great infact.
GUYS I am in need for good advice. Please elaborately explain , point out my flaws in reasoning if I have any , but do give some advice which at least will give me a stable career.
Jesus Christ, not this again! Read the below ▮▮▮, please:
- Any UK university will give you an education better than any college in India. By education I mean not just classroom teaching but also library infrastructure, research guidance, cultural activities, sports, the diversity of the crowd and general life experience. Studying in the UK will also expose you you to a more egalitarian society compared to India. That is what a proper education covers.
- UK law firms are not hung up on dick-measuring contests and rankings. They don't give an F about rankings like in India. They broadly prefer any of the universities in the Russell Group. Over 80% of hires in top firms are from Russel Group universities. The last available data shows the top 10 as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, King's, Warwick and UCL/Leeds (joint 10th). Note that LSE didn't feature in the top 10. Also, 20% hires were from non-Russell group universities, such as Sussex, UEA, UWE and Northumbria.
- If you want to do an MBA in the US, enrol for an easy course in India and for your GMAT prep. A 5 year law course distracts from GMAT prep.
However, since you're someone hung up on tiers, rankings etc, I suggest you get into NALSAR and spend 5 years trolling all the law schools (except NLSIU and NLUD) on how you are ranked higher than them in NIRF. ▮▮▮
The part about any UK university being inherently superior is simply not true. I have seen plenty of people who have studied at an UK university and still remain completely clueless about education.
there was post where one user had posted a link about uk unis which place most students in magic circle firms, unfortunately I cannot recollect the thread, however, amongst the top unis there was Durham and Bristol, so if you get into one of them go. Sussex and Aberdeen are not well known for recrtuiment also Aberdeen teaches Scots law, Manchester has a problem with grade inflation.
BTW you can do double law, you can do LLB from the UK and then go to US and do JD. If you want to settle in Canada, uni of Leciester seems to have a programme which teaches a joint curriculum, if you do the LLB from Leciester then do LLM from Canada then you just need to do one part of Canadian bar exam. But again do your homework well about job prospects.
Go to Nalsar. Better to study at a Tier-1 in India , rather than having a UK degree with no respect. And if USA is your main aim , then also complete your degree here only.
As you mentioned , YOU have not got offers yet from tier-1 in UK, maybe change to Tier-1 in Uk when you eventually get them. But for now , settle in Nalsar. This will be better than Sussex at least.
If your main goal is settling in the US, go to Manchester, work really hard and be at the top of your class. Get a US/Magic Circle law firm job in London, spend 2 years as a trainee and 2/3 years as an associate and then apply for a US MBA program. Don’t go to Aberdeen/Sussex, that will just be a waste of money. If you can get into Bristol/Exeter/Durham/QM, your chances of getting a law firm job will increase but Manchester is a good uni as well.
Go to UK law school if you want to ultimately go to the US - simpler. Can work at a magic circle (or silver circle and then bump up experience), and then do a masters in the US, and try to join their US office directly - Links, A&O, Freshfields have a decent-ish NY office. HSF and CC not so much.
What do you all think should I do? If it was Tier-1 uk college , I would have not approached y’all. But I really am getting mixed opinions.
FOR INSTANCE - there are people who didn’t crack clat multiple times and ended at these universities (I have proof). I don’t want to end up with them. But at the same time UK as a country will virtually put me closer to Magic Circle Law firms compared to Nujs or nalsar. But their placements are not bad either , great infact.
GUYS I am in need for good advice. Please elaborately explain , point out my flaws in reasoning if I have any , but do give some advice which at least will give me a stable career.
- Any UK university will give you an education better than any college in India. By education I mean not just classroom teaching but also library infrastructure, research guidance, cultural activities, sports, the diversity of the crowd and general life experience. Studying in the UK will also expose you you to a more egalitarian society compared to India. That is what a proper education covers.
- UK law firms are not hung up on dick-measuring contests and rankings. They don't give an F about rankings like in India. They broadly prefer any of the universities in the Russell Group. Over 80% of hires in top firms are from Russel Group universities. The last available data shows the top 10 as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, King's, Warwick and UCL/Leeds (joint 10th). Note that LSE didn't feature in the top 10. Also, 20% hires were from non-Russell group universities, such as Sussex, UEA, UWE and Northumbria.
https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/law-firms-preferred-universities
- If you want to do an MBA in the US, enrol for an easy course in India and for your GMAT prep. A 5 year law course distracts from GMAT prep.
However, since you're someone hung up on tiers, rankings etc, I suggest you get into NALSAR and spend 5 years trolling all the law schools (except NLSIU and NLUD) on how you are ranked higher than them in NIRF. ▮▮▮
BTW you can do double law, you can do LLB from the UK and then go to US and do JD. If you want to settle in Canada, uni of Leciester seems to have a programme which teaches a joint curriculum, if you do the LLB from Leciester then do LLM from Canada then you just need to do one part of Canadian bar exam. But again do your homework well about job prospects.